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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: The Great Pumpkin is Compostable, Charlie Brown!
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
10/28/2009 1:22:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
SPU Customer Service 206-684-3000
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The Great Pumpkin is Compostable, Charlie Brown!
Leftover Jack O’ Lanterns, Caramel Apples Go in Seattle’s Food Waste Cart
Seattle—It’s not a trick, it’s an environmental treat! Leftover pumpkins, caramel apples, and other leftover food scraps can go in Seattle’s yard and food waste cart.
In addition to leaves, grass and branches, Seattle households can put all food scraps, including meat, fish, dairy, vegetables, fruits, and food-soiled paper in their food and yard waste cart, where it will be collected weekly and turned into compost for local parks and gardens.
“Pumpkins make great compost, and compost helps make big pumpkins,” said Hans Van Dusen, Solid Waste Contracts Manager for Seattle Public Utilities. “Putting pumpkins and leftover Halloween food scraps into your food and yard waste cart is an easy way to reduce the amount of waste we send to the landfill.”
140,000 Seattle households currently subscribe to food and yard waste collection. Since Seattle added meat and dairy to its collection service in March, organics diversion is up nearly 43 percent compared to 2008. In 2008, Seattle businesses and residents diverted more than 80,000 tons of food and yard waste from the landfill.
To learn more about what you can put in Seattle’s food and yard waste cart, visit our Food and Yard Waste website or call (206) 684-3000.
In addition to providing solid waste services in Seattle, SPU provides more than 1.3 million customers in the metropolitan area with a reliable water supply and provides essential sewer, drainage and engineering services that safeguard public health, maintain the City’s infrastructure and protect, conserve and enhance the region's environmental resources.
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Seattle Public Utilities
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